Repositioning appliances for positioning the mandible relative to the upper jaw as well as other devices have been used to treat afflictions such as snoring and sleep apnea.
In a paper entitled "Dental Appliances for the Treatment of Snoring and/or Obstructive Sleep Apnea" by Alan A. Lowe published in Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine, W. B. Saunders Company, Second Edition 1994, chapter 69, p. 772-735, a number of commercially available or experimental devices known in the trade have been described together with their inherent problems and advantages.
The different techniques that have been used tend either to manipulate the tongue or adjust the relative positions of the mandible to the upper jaw.
The present invention is primarily concerned with manipulation of the mandible relative to the upper jaw to properly position the mandible to alleviate the affliction.
It will be apparent that in fitting appliances, the exact fit or degree of repositioning is obtained by trial and in incremental adjustments. Thus, in following the prior art techniques, to make a significant adjustment to the positioning of the mandible, requires dismantling and reassembling the appliance, following a relatively complex procedure normally requiring the dentist and/or his technician.